Budva, 26 October. Four Kazakh boxers have reached the finals of the under-19 World Championships in Budva, Montenegro, and four more finished with bronze medals, Kazakhstan's National Olympic Committee said.
Alina Kudaigenova (57 kg), Bibarys Ashirbai (70 kg), Zarina Tolybai (over 80 kg) and Vladislav Samozhonov (over 90 kg) will fight for gold on 27 October, starting at 18:00 Astana time. In the semi-finals on 25 October Ashirbai, the Asian champion and team captain, beat Uzbekistan's Zulfikor Adkhamzhonov 4-1, Tolybai beat her Turkish opponent 5-0, Kudaigenova edged a Chinese boxer 3-2 in a close bout, and Samozhonov routed Azerbaijan's Safdar Mammadzade. Bronze went to Madira Zhumakhan (51 kg), Indira Kydyrmoldayeva (60 kg), Daniyar Akbisenov (60 kg) and Yerketan Zharkynbek (90 kg).
The team has thus already secured eight medals: four bronzes and at least four silvers. By number of finalists, Kazakhstan shares third place with China; the reports do not say which teams are ahead.
What it means: Kazakhstan's youth team has already secured eight medals and could finish the championships with four golds, depending on Tuesday's finals.
Who benefits: Kazakh boxing gains a new generation with world-level experience before moving up to the senior team.
Background: The U19 World Championships run in Budva from 16 to 27 October under the auspices of the international federation World Boxing. The programme has 20 weight classes, ten each for young men and women.
